Parent Info Night: Growing Executive Function Through Talent Development 10/7/26 with Bridges Academy 

Executive functioning skills are often discussed in terms of what students struggle to do, but what happens when we begin with what they are motivated to do? In this session, Dr. Stacey Hilborn will explore how strength-based talent development experiences can create meaningful, authentic opportunities for students to practice skills such as planning, organization, task initiation, time management, flexibility, persistence, collaboration, and self-regulation. Drawing on enrichment and talent development programming for twice-exceptional learners, Stacey will share how student choice, real-world projects, mentorship, and opportunities to develop expertise can increase engagement and give students a genuine reason to use and strengthen their executive functioning skills. 
Dylan McKenzie, Bridges Academy Online High School Director, will then bring these ideas to life through specific student case studies, highlighting examples of executive functioning growth that emerged through interest-driven and talent-centered learning. Together, the session will invite participants to think differently about executive functioning development, not simply as a set of skills to remediate in isolation, but as capacities that can grow when students are appropriately challenged and engaged in work that feels purposeful to them. 


Stacey Hilborn, Ed.D., is the Director of the 2e Center for Research, Professional Learning, and Talent Development at Bridges Academy, a college-preparatory school serving twice-exceptional learners in grades 3-12. A former STEM educator and Middle School Division Director, she brings experience in instructional leadership, program design, and cognitive diversity to her work. Her focus is on creating strength-based, talent-centered learning environments that help neurodiverse students thrive. She leads professional learning and consulting initiatives, develops enrichment and talent development programs, and works to translate research into practical approaches for educators, families, and schools. Stacey earned her doctorate in cognitive diversity and educational leadership, with research focused on the post-secondary transitions of twice-exceptional students


Dylan McKenzie is an educator, administrator, and musician with over 15 years of experience designing and leading strength-based learning environments for twice exceptional students. As Division Director of Bridges Academy Online, he oversees a fully synchronous program that integrates social-emotional learning, executive functioning, and academic rigor within a vibrant community of intellectual peers.